We are still relatively early in our house building project. We have some initial ideas, the plot of land is already secured, and a few sketches...
Many construction companies also create plans or drafts. Do these drafts usually cost anything at construction companies? Especially if you then decide not to go with the company as the builder, or is it free up to a certain point?
Is it more advisable to have a plan created by an architect?
What were your first steps toward creating the plan?
Many construction companies also create plans or drafts. Do these drafts usually cost anything at construction companies? Especially if you then decide not to go with the company as the builder, or is it free up to a certain point?
Is it more advisable to have a plan created by an architect?
What were your first steps toward creating the plan?
B
Bieber081510 Feb 2016 17:24We were also offered several designs free of charge. To what extent such a design is truly "individual," or even developed specifically for our particular needs, or whether it is actually "good," is another question.
What a general contractor / construction manager / building team usually does not provide anymore is the detailed execution planning / trade-specific planning (except, of course, for those present). This kind of planning can (may?) cause problems during the construction phase.
What a general contractor / construction manager / building team usually does not provide anymore is the detailed execution planning / trade-specific planning (except, of course, for those present). This kind of planning can (may?) cause problems during the construction phase.
Hi,
I don’t quite understand that part. Of course, they do provide detailed execution planning/trade coordination. But naturally, only if they have the contract. They obviously won’t hand that over for free beforehand. However, it also doesn’t make much sense to have a general contractor prepare a design and then try to handle construction with self-contracted trades. That probably won’t work! If you go with a general contractor, you should focus on collaborating during the design phase and communicating your own requirements. The general contractor knows better how to schedule their subcontractors… And I’d better not interfere with the structural engineer’s work either.
Best regards,
Andreas
Bieber0815 schrieb:
What general contractor / main contractor / construction manager (GU/GÜ/BT) typically does not provide is detailed execution planning/trade coordination (excluding those present on site). This can (will?) cause problems during construction.
I don’t quite understand that part. Of course, they do provide detailed execution planning/trade coordination. But naturally, only if they have the contract. They obviously won’t hand that over for free beforehand. However, it also doesn’t make much sense to have a general contractor prepare a design and then try to handle construction with self-contracted trades. That probably won’t work! If you go with a general contractor, you should focus on collaborating during the design phase and communicating your own requirements. The general contractor knows better how to schedule their subcontractors… And I’d better not interfere with the structural engineer’s work either.
Best regards,
Andreas
B
Bieber081510 Feb 2016 17:43andimann schrieb:
Of course, they prepare a detailed execution plan/trade coordination plan. But only if they have the contract. They have the contract to build the house, and they do not prepare an execution plan. Been there, done that.
Hi,
I think we might be talking past each other a bit here. They do not produce the kind of detailed execution plans that a layperson could use to manage and coordinate the trades themselves. However, they definitely create internal plans for scheduling and coordinating the trades. Execution plans include the technical drawings and specifications, and I actually have one such construction drawing right here in front of me…
How else do you expect a project to be carried out? The ceiling manufacturer needs to know exactly how much steel goes into the ceiling, the basement builder must have reinforcement plans, and the electrician has to know where to install the light switches.
As the saying goes:
“Planning is replacing chance with error…”
Best regards,
Andreas
Bieber0815 schrieb:
They have the contract to build the house and they do no detailed planning. BTDT.
I think we might be talking past each other a bit here. They do not produce the kind of detailed execution plans that a layperson could use to manage and coordinate the trades themselves. However, they definitely create internal plans for scheduling and coordinating the trades. Execution plans include the technical drawings and specifications, and I actually have one such construction drawing right here in front of me…
How else do you expect a project to be carried out? The ceiling manufacturer needs to know exactly how much steel goes into the ceiling, the basement builder must have reinforcement plans, and the electrician has to know where to install the light switches.
As the saying goes:
“Planning is replacing chance with error…”
Best regards,
Andreas
B
Bieber081510 Feb 2016 20:20andimann schrieb:
They definitely create an internal schedule for the processes and trades. The detailed construction drawings, etc., are made during the execution planning phase. Remove the "definitely." I know of four construction projects by four different builders/general contractors/trades who do not do all that. (Yes, the reinforcement is planned, of course a structural calculation is done—you simply can’t do without that. But that’s about it.)
andimann schrieb:
How else would you manage a project? The ceiling manufacturer needs to know how much steel goes into the slab, the basement builder needs a reinforcement plan, and the electrician needs to know where to install a light switch. Reinforcement, yes, see above. The rest: verbal instructions on site, "we’ve always done it that way," the tradesperson decides how to do it, and for electrical work, markings with a permanent marker on the wall are common. There are lots of possibilities…
andimann schrieb:
“Planning is replacing chance with error…” I completely agree with you!
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Bauexperte10 Feb 2016 21:53@Bieber0815
I’ll take a bit of a risk here. Anyone who hires such providers must have focused solely on the price at the bottom right.
I know many providers in this region, and through my reviews, also many nationwide. These include both "large" and supposedly "smaller" construction companies. Almost all of them share the fact that without a detailed design plan—or execution plan—no construction project gets underway. This is also stated, by the way, in every proper building specification.
Best regards, Bauexperte
Bauexperte
I’ll take a bit of a risk here. Anyone who hires such providers must have focused solely on the price at the bottom right.
I know many providers in this region, and through my reviews, also many nationwide. These include both "large" and supposedly "smaller" construction companies. Almost all of them share the fact that without a detailed design plan—or execution plan—no construction project gets underway. This is also stated, by the way, in every proper building specification.
Best regards, Bauexperte
Bauexperte
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